The psychology of autumn colours

The psychology of autumn colours

There's so much to love about autumn: the crunch of leaves beneath our feet, the sound of rustling leaves, the cosiness of a woollen jumper and the warmth of an open fire

But according to colour psychologist Karen Haller, these wonderful colours can also play a crucial role in improving our wellbeing.

Haller, who is working with Forest Holidays, says: "Colours and combinations of colours have an impact on how we think, feel and behave. The colour tones we typically associate with have a distinct personality of warmth, caring and down to earth giving the feeling of cosiness and comfort."

Haller says that autumn walks are the perfect remedy to our constantly 'on' digitally connected lives: "being able to take walks and just be in the moment can help us to recover emotionally, mentally and physically from the stresses of modern day life". Here, Haller shares the meanings behind each autumnal colour and why this season can help to improve our wellbeing.

Burnt oranges

As the colour of joy and playfulness, orange is often associated with fun. "Burnt orange encourages social conversation, inspires laughter and stimulates an appetite for social interaction", says Haller.

Golden yellows

Relating to happiness and optimism, golden yellow is a colour that "lifts your spirits and boosts self-confidence and self-esteem, helping to improve your emotional wellbeing", according to Haller.

Rust reds

"The warmth of this red is all about cosiness. It brings a subtler energy than a bright red and can provide motivation and stimulation. A colour of action, red will encourage you to get out this autumn."

Forest green is a restorative colour, creating a sense of peace and internal wellbeing whilst also balancing the mind, body and soul. "Looking back centuries, green was the colour we sought because it told us that life existed, so green has long provided us the connection with life, water and food."

As human beings, we were once at one with nature and living in the natural cycle of the seasons but modern-day city dwellers can experience a sense of disconnection with nature due to their environment. As autumn is such a sensory experience, Haller recommends we leave the city behind and enter the forest which will help us to reconnect with ourselves and with nature, whilst reducing stress, alleviating mental fatigue and improving our overall wellbeing.

If this has encouraged you to take a forest break, we've teamed up with Forest Holidays to offer you a 10% saving! Simply enter the code 'LANDLOVE' at the checkout the offer expires 31st March 2018. The 10% discount can be used at any time of the year, including school holidays and bank holidays, and can be taken across all of Forest Holiday's cabin types.